Career
Firstwaters - expanding thinking together.
Our benefits
Choose where you live
Choose where you live
Wherever you would like live your life – your colleagues also come from all over Germany and Austria. If you live in Frankfurt or Vienna, you will also have a good chance of working on interesting projects close to home.
Excellent salary
Excellent salary
In an industry comparison, the salaries paid by Firstwaters are well above average – and we will take out an accident insurance policy for you at our expense. You can opt to have a company car as a portion of your salary.
Flat hierarchies
Flat hierarchies
So many job titles – but who is truly satisfied by adding another word to their business card? At Firstwaters, competences are more important than hierarchies, as the individual skills determine who takes on which tasks as part of a project.
Mentoring
Mentoring
Every new member of the consulting team is mentored by an experienced colleague. But communication and direct interactions are a priority for experienced colleagues as well – a contact person is available for all situations.
Smart technology
Smart technology
We work in environments with cutting-edge IT, which is why our staff always has access to the state of the art in terms of hardware and software. All consultants are equipped with the latest laptops, smartphones and modern software solutions.
Team spirit
Team spirit
Our team-building events are filled with experiences and top-notch entertainment. Each day, we all embody the powerful team spirit at Firstwaters together: we maintain a culture of friendly dialogue which also adds value to our earnings.
Exemplifying responsibility
Exemplifying responsibility
Anyone who begins working with clients and on projects at Firstwaters will quickly learn what makes us stand out: what we work on is relevant and we rely on teams where each and every members bears responsibility. From the very first day and growing with each day.
Professional development
Professional development
It is the knowledge of our consultants that make us appealing for our clients, which is why we work with in-house training sessions, coaching on the job and external partners who provide us with targeted training and support our professional development. In addition to this, we support employees who would like to develop themselves further on an individual basis.
Freedom
Freedom
Of course, the fast-paced project work can also get a bit hectic at times. From time to time, however, there are indeed phases where you can compensate for the overload. The work-life balance of our employees is a matter of great importance to us, which is why we offer various sabbatical and part-time models, for example.
What our employees have to say.
Interview Maximilian Stahl
In your opinion, what separates Firstwaters from other consulting companies?
I have felt like a part of the team from day one. Thanks to my colleagues, I had great support from the very beginning and was therefore able to quickly find my footing. Here, you won’t find any of the negative clichés that you hear about consultants throughout the industry.
So what were you doing before you joined Firstwaters?
I came to Firstwaters right out of college. I completed my bachelor and master in business mathematics in Würzburg.
What were you doing before you came to Firstwaters?
I came to Firstwaters directly from university. I earned by bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business mathematics in Würzburg.
Why did you decide to work at Firstwaters?
I got to know Firstwaters a few years before finishing uni at a job fair. The people there made a very positive impression on me. But the reason for my decision was then the interview: at no point did I have the feeling like I needed to prove something. The atmosphere of the interview was comfortable from the outset and my future colleagues were very friendly.
What is the most fun part of the work for you?
The varied tasks of everyday project work. You just learn so much – from operational processes at banks and the products themselves to the technical capabilities of databases or software. You’ll never get bored around here.
What advice do you have for applicants who are interested in Firstwaters?
It’s simple: Be yourself.
Interview Ana Felicissimo
What did you do before joining Firstwaters?
I’ve worked in the Investment Banking area with focus on M&A and Finance in Lisboa, Portugal. Before that, I’ve studied Business Administration and Finance in Lisboa.
Why did you join Firstwaters?
The sector of IT and Financial Consulting provided an interesting opportunity to learn something new and to unfold my potential. It was also my personal goal to gain international experience. But most crucial is that Firstwaters promotes me and offers me the possibility to develop myself continuoulsy. For example, I’ve acquired the CFA with full support of the company.
What distinguishes Firstwaters from other consulting companies?
The corporate culture. Consulting companies typically have a high turnover in employees and a bad work-life balance. Firstwaters is a medium-sized company where many people know each other for years. The managing directors are working every day with the consultants and family life is much appreciated.
What is most appealing in your work at Firstwaters?
The company pays respect to my career goals when it comes to the project selection, which makes each project a new opportunity to develop myself further. I like it very much, that everyone is entrusted with individual responsibility.
What do you value most about Firstwaters?
Project life is often dynamic, with specific deadlines and targets that require competent team work. At the end of the day you have the feeling that much has been achieved without sacrificing your weekend. The discussions with colleagues, where any question can be asked and everyone is supportive, is very positive.
How would you describe Firstwaters to your friends?
Whoever is dynamic, interested in IT and Finance consulting and likes to work in a team will find Firstwaters to be a great opportunity to continuously develop him/herself without sacrificing his/her private life. Not everyone will agree to the higher individual responsibility required by a smaller company like Firstwaters, compared to huge consulting firms. So you should consider, if that suits your personality.
Interview Lorenz Knauseder
What Do you think, how is Firstwaters perceived by customers?
Firstwaters breaks the stereotypes of consulting companies, as in almost each project it is not only about strategies but also about the specific implementation. You are a partner with a hands-on mentality until the final Go-Live and won’t just leave after providing advice.
Why did you join Firstwaters?
Even though I’ve gone through multiple recruitment processes of different firms, I had a great feeling about Firstwaters right after the first contact, which was confirmed again in the course ot the Assessment Center. Practical case studies, dfferent topics and pleasant one-on-one interviews as well as a direct, constructive and rapid feedback made my decision very easy. Aside if that, taking a look into the companies customer portfolio was enough to recognize that Firstwaters has successfully completed projects for numerous big players of the banking and financial industry in the DACH region.
What are your tasks at Firstwaters?
In my role as Business Analyst, I’m currently responsible for analysing the business processes of customers, evaluating optimization possibilities and implementing enhancements together with the client. This requires competences in all apects of the dimensions – business expertise, technical know-how and methodical skills.
What is most appealing in your work at Firstwaters?
The collaboration with customers. You’ll gain unique insights while being the link between technology, business and project management and you are connecting with a lot of interesting people on a daily basis.
Responsibility is assigned quickly and increases gradually with the personal progress. But you can count to 100% on your colleagues and in particular on your mentor, if a task or problem is to huge to solve.
As there are a lot of team events and tours, you will get to know your colleagues independently from projects and you can learn from their many facets and expertises.
What do you value about Firstwaters?
Above all the culture of open communication in the teams, from Junior to the Managing Director. In terms of employee benefits, Firstwaters keeps its promises, providing flexible working hours and rewarding success rather than pure working hours.
What I find very valuable too is the mentoring program. By assigning an experienced consultant, you’ll have his backing when starting with consultancy. If you bring the willingness, you’ll learn a lot - fast. Firstwaters, as an SME company, has a dynamic corporate culture, compared to larger consulting firms. You can rely on different teams and technical as well as business ressources any time.
As an employee you will get the support from Firstwaters to 100% - there is an open door regardless of the problem. In particular in difficult times, like the Corona situation, you have the feeling to be in good hands.
How would you describe Firstwaters to your friends?
Firstwaters is not just another consulting company. By uniting the know how of business expertise, technical know-how and methodical skills in each consultant, Firstwaters can give a unique promise to its customers. You stand beside your customer from day one until the successful Go-Live.
Interview Fabian Michels
What do appreciate about Firstwaters?
I appreciate the simple nature of Firstwaters along with the experience and practical approach of my colleagues. Communication with each other is always open and technical discussions are carried out at a very high level. This means that there aren’t any colleagues who just throw around buzzwords or philosophise about IT concepts rather than implementing them.
What were you doing before you joined Firstwaters?
Previously, I worked as a software engineer at a leading German software vendor for financial regulation and as a project manager at a major German telecommunications company.
Why did you decide to work at Firstwaters?
In the role of project manager, where an IT system was often merely a symbol on a PowerPoint slide, I missed working with technology. As a software engineer, I often wasn’t able to see the bigger picture and I missed the autonomy. Firstwaters offered me the opportunity both to work on software solutions myself as well as to take on a leadership role as part of projects. Additionally, the open atmosphere during the interview and the flat hierarchies at the company won me over.
What advice do you have for applicants who are interested in Firstwaters?
My advice is to take an open approach to the interview. Take it as an opportunity to get your first personal impression of the company. But the most important thing is to be yourself.
Interview Marco Sastre-Rocher
What is the most fun part of the work for you?
Everyday project work always offers new challenges as well as the opportunity to continuously acquire new skills and to develop personally. What’s more, it’s fun to work as part of a team. It’s a fulfilling feeling when you work together to successfully complete a project and you know that you made an important contribution to the success as a member of the team.
What were you doing before you came to Firstwaters?
Before I came to Firstwaters, I earned my master’s degree in international management at Aschaffenburg University of Applied Sciences. Additionally, as a working student, I gained two years of project experience alongside my studies.
Why did you decide to work at Firstwaters?
I got interested in project work while I was a working student. I was quickly certain that I wanted to make my way into the consulting field. During my interview at Firstwaters – in addition to the friendly colleagues – I was sold by the interesting project approaches in particular and the great professional development measures. I immediately had the feeling that the focus here is on the employees and their development.
In your opinion, what separates Firstwaters from other consulting companies?
First comes the size of the company, which makes flat hierarchies, quick communication and close collaboration with all employees possible. Additionally, the interactive company meetings offer employees the chance to help shape the strategic direction of the company as well as the everyday operations at Firstwaters. The focus on a positive work-life balance is also somewhat atypical for consulting companies. As an employee of Firstwaters – unlike at other consulting companies – I am not judged by my ‘face time’ but rather my performance and the results I deliver.
What advice do you have for applicants who are interested in Firstwaters?
Anyone who is thinking about becoming a consultant in the IT and banking industries should be aware that this also comes with a willingness to travel. In return, you benefit from diverse tasks, flat hierarchies, constant potential for further development and, in spite of time spend travelling, a positive work-life balance. Firstwaters offers us the chance to shape the company, not vice versa.
What candidates want to know.
Here you will find more information about your application, your start and your work at Firstwaters.
That depends on the project. When an important milestone is upcoming, work can become more turbulent and the working hours might expand. In general, however, working hours are limited to the office hours – perhaps not always ‘9 to 5’, but without any nights and weekends spent working. After all, we want employees who also have fun doing their work over the long term.
New Firstwaters consultants who already have professional experience hit the ground running – they are given their work equipment (smartphone, laptop, access rights) on their first day. After that, they start working on their first project as soon as possible. We believe that nothing can replace practical experience, which is why we offer you the opportunity to prove yourself immediately – accompanied by experienced colleagues. If you come to us as a graduate, you will undergo an intensive training phase of around four weeks in a team of other newcomers regarding the topics we deal with, our IT and our methods. As soon as you have the chance to work on a project, your time begins at one of our clients.
We support and challenge our employees from the first day onward, and we promote them in their development with regard to methodology and business. Each of us also works on his or her personal development – that is our expectation. Our consultants begin with a supporting role on a project, are given their own subject areas to take responsibility over and, over time, develop into a role of leading projects and sub-projects. Our consultants begin with a supporting role on a project, are given their own subject areas to take responsibility over and, over time, develop into a role of leading projects and sub-projects.
In this case, we support our employees on an entirely individual basis. There is no fixed model, because everyone’s life situation is unique: sometimes the free time is important, and sometimes the costs of continuing your education. Continuing your education en bloc or one day per week over a longer period of time – there are reasons for either model. But it is clear that both you as an employee as well as Firstwaters invest in equal measure in such a ‘major’ undertaking. We are united by the desire for success, which is why the conditions or expense reimbursement, sabbaticals and salary reduction are agreed on a case-by-case basis.
Fancy-sounding job titles aren’t very important to us, which is why you won’t have to get a new business card each year. We are all consultants who work on projects at different seniority levels depending on our role and the subject area of the project. For us, excellence is what counts: we make a conscious effort to remain flexible and to make use of the people who are best suited. Internally, in addition to the executive board, we only have the level of managers, who have direct responsibility of a team and are a part of the management of the company.
We make possible whatever is within our control, so we are flexible when it comes to parental leave and sabbaticals. Of course, our consulting also takes place at our clients’ businesses. But family and career are nonetheless clearly compatible with us: compared to the industry as a whole, we have a very low staff turnover rate as well as satisfied employees.
No one project is like another, and the timelines range from eight weeks to several years (for major IT projects). For extremely long-running projects, however, there is a rotation to keep the thought processes from getting stale. And no one has to work on the same project for more than a year if they don’t want to.
Around two or three consultants work on smaller projects, and as many as 20 may be involved in more major projects.
The starting point of our projects is almost always processes, and these days nearly every bank process is associated with an IT solution. The processes in banking are evolving: Because the business logic is changing (e.g. through new products or the intent to open up new markets), because the banking supervisory authorities demand it (e.g. EMIR or MiFID) or because costs need to be reduced. We typically support such projects from the original design and implementation through to the ongoing operations. Our consultants analyse the situation and come up with solutions in collaboration with our clients. These results are documented in a functional specification and converted to specific requirements of the IT. Developers – from Firstwaters, other companies or the client themselves – then accordingly program and configure the software used. The solution is tried and tested, and – in some cases – client data need to be migrated. After that, the new solution enters the pilot phase followed by full operation. We strive to support these projects, if possible, from beginning to end, both from the business as well as IT perspective.
All of our consultants represent an individual triad of business expertise, technical know-how and methodological skills. Business consultants are not asked to program, but rather to prepare problems and recommendations for solutions in such a way that a developer is able to continue the work. So a basic understanding of IT logic is necessary – but over time, our business consultants gain their own familiarity with the systems that we work with frequently. The programming itself, however, is left to developers.
It occurs organically that our consultants are in demand for preferred subject areas in which they have already gained a certain level of experience, which is why the individual project history of many colleagues has a certain focus thanks to their area of expertise. On the other hand, we try to avoid ‘topic silos’ that make a consultant’s profile too one-sided. To expand our bandwidth and share our knowledge, we try to avoid colleagues only being used for certain fixed topics or assigned only certain responsibilities and tasks. In addition, our projects are constantly changing along with the clients’ requirements – that alone keeps our focus fluid.
We look forward to hearing from you.
We would be happy to have more detailed discussions with you at one of our three locations or via videoconference or phone call.
Please make an appointment.
Andreas Deuerling
+49 6021 4548451
careers[at]firstwaters.de